Smile
by WaterFae110
Summary: "You be careful, now. I won't always be there to save you and your gray underwear."


**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters used in this fanfic. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Author's Note:** Here's a fic from my One-Shot Club days. I've edited it since then and in all honesty, I prefer this version better. The other one was so obviously sped written; it was horrible! XD Anyhoo...please enjoy and review! ^_^

* * *

"Smile!" The photographer said enthusiastically, peering through the viewer and trying to focus on his subject. He brought his hand up to the side in a signaling manner, and began counting down silently bringing one finger down each second.

Severus's lips began to curve into a smile as he sat up straight in his designated spot. In his nervousness, he began to hold his breath afraid that breathing even slightly would ruin his pose. Seconds later, a light flashed and the picture was taken.

Every year, the Snape family did portraits; single portraits for every individual and one family portrait at the end of every session. Severus let out a sigh of relief after the bright flash and jumped off from his seat. Glad that the whole portrait business was over, he began making his way out of the family room. He hated getting his picture taken. Really hated it. Self-consciousness got the better of him every time and the picture would always come out completely wrong.

"Wait a minute, young man!" He heard his mother call him back causing the poor boy to groan and turn to look annoyingly at her, "Come back here. We need to take one more."

* * *

A week had passed and the portraits finally came. The Snape family sat down in there little kitchen and began looking through the photos, trying to decide which ones this liked best. Little Severus however, even though sitting in on the scene decided to not participate.

"Oh dear!" His mother finally proclaimed in disappointment, a photo of her soon in her hand, "Look at this! Sevy dear, you look ridiculous!"

"Give me that!" Severus snapped as he snatched the photograph out of his mother's hand. His once aloof state changed dramatically upon observing the photograph that his mother had been speaking off.

'Another terrible photo...' He thought, staring at his picture. He was not smiling, but smirking and his eyes were only half-open. It looked as though he either had drunk too much Firewhiskey or was mentally challenged.

"I'm never going to have a good picture taken." He said to more to himself than anyone else at the table. Throwing the photo aside, he let his chair scrape against the kitchen floor as he got up and walked out without saying another word.

Years went by and many more pictures were taken. Many more were ruined and thrown aside. Not one photo ever came out well and the reason why? Severus Snape just couldn't smile…on or off the camera. For him, there was just nothing in his life to smile about.

That is…until one day…during his fifth year at Hogwarts…

Severus was walking about on the grounds, minding his own business and his large nose inside one of the more higher-level potions textbooks. He had decided it best to try finishing his work outside since the library was so crowded and the Slytherins were being overly rowdy in the common room. Suddenly, the greasy-haired young man was attacked from behind and the next thing he knew he was sprawled onto the grass, his belongings surrounding him.

"All right there, Snivellus?" A black haired boy asked towering over him while his friends snickered in the background.

Severus decided to not respond and instead got onto his knees, reaching for his book bag and attempting to collect the belongings that now littered the grass. However, he never go the chance to finish, for another black haired teen blocked his path and smirked down at him, "Leaving so soon?"

"James…Sirius…why don't you two give him a break for now? We have O.W.L.S to study for." One of the more decent boys suggested. Tucked beneath his right arm was a large Charms book with papers sticking out and a quill being held with this other hand.

"Oh, c'mon Remus…" James said like a whining five-year-old, "We're just having a bit of fun! And besides, we've been studying all day! Isn't that right, Peter?" At this, he turned to the last boy. He was the shortest of the four and looked like the most awkward one there.

"That's true, you know." Peter said turning to face Remus with a weak smile, "There just having a bit of fun."

Remus sighed in defeat, "All right then, but if you two get in trouble, I'm not going to help you get out of it this time."

That statement seemed to be the "go" signal, which then prompted loud laughter from Sirius and Peter as James waved his wand at the poor boy on the grass. Within seconds, Severus was off the ground and hovering over the group of boys.

"What type of underwear are you wearing today, dear Snivellus?" James asked as he waved his wand again, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Severus struggled with himself as he hovered in the air, hoping that maybe, no matter how ridiculous the thought, if he thrashed about enough he would suddenly fall and find himself on the ground once more. But to now avail. He was now showing everybody and anybody that was out on the grounds that day his gray underwear, still hovering upside down and unable to do anything to help himself. Anger began to boil up inside of him and he began to squirm even more wildly, like some kind of animal trying to get out of a trap, but the only thing he did was make a bigger fool out of himself. He began to swear and wail out of both anger and embarrassment. He even got to the point that he wanted to cry, when suddenly over the cruel laughter, he heard the most beautiful and kind, yet most angry voice he had ever heard.

"James Potter! You let him down this instant!"

"Evans! How nice to see you today." James exclaimed happily forgetting about his victim that was still dangling upside down above him.

The red-headed Gryffindor quickly took brandished her wand from within her robes and pointed it at James, "Let him down or I'll curse you so bad your kids will have scars."

"Date me first." James said slyly, clearly unthreatened.

"I wouldn't date you if you were the last wizard on this planet." Lily retorted, a look of disgust on her features before adding dangerously, "Now. Let him down."

"If that's what my girl wishes." He said with a wave of his wand. There was a hint of disappointment in the tone of his voice.

Without so much of a warning, Severus suddenly fell from the air and landed on his head with a dull thud. He rubbed his head and contorted his face to reveal a look of pain before quickly getting up and searching for his wand.

"Get out of here!" Lily yelled in annoyance while James' friends continued to laugh in the backgrounds, "And I'm not your girl!"

James stared at Lily for a moment, then at Severus. He frowned when his eyes landed on the latter and began walking away after saying darkly, "You're lucky Lily was here, Snivellus."

Lily watched the group of male Gyrffindors leave until there were completely out of sight. Pure disgust was apparent in her eyes and for a while nothing, not a word was exchanged between the two. Finally, after Severus had finished picking up his belongings and placing them back into his book bag, Lily spoke up.

"Are you all right?" She asked with concern.

"Yes. I'm fine." He said quietly brushing the dirt off his robes and book bag.

"Are you sure?" She asked eyeing him carefully as though she didn't believe him.

"I said yes." He replied with annoyance. It was bad enough that a girl had just saved him from his bullies, but even worse for him that it was a Gryffindor girl.

Hearing his tone, she backed away slightly offended, but knowing the situation, she just shrugged it off and said, "Well…okay. If you say so. Don't let those four get to you, alright? They're just a bunch of little punks."

She put his hand on his shoulder and gave it a little squeeze for reassurance and for some reason, Severus felt safe and comforted. Without really thinking about it, Lily then gave him a small peck on the cheek before making her way back into the castle.

"You be careful, now." Lily called from afar before adding with a hint of amusement in her voice, "I won't always be there to save you and your gray underwear."

And that's when it happened. The greatest moment in little Severus's life and the photographer had missed it. He smiled. He smiled the biggest and most genuine smile he had ever smiled in his entire life as he watched Lily Evans walk out of sight…his cheek still burning.


End file.
